Resilience: Between hope and fear
Peshawer’s Christians are ready to celebrate Christmas by helping families of those who lost their lives.
Police officials standing guard near Peshawar’s All Saints Church in the city’s Kohati Gate area. PHOTO: PPI
PESHAWAR:
Small Christmas trees, decorated by children, have been set up in the homes of many of the 70,000 Christians that call Peshawer their home.
Christmas merchandise is available as usual in the city’s markets. While the memories of what happened some three months ago in Peshawer reverberate in the hearts and minds of the community, the Christians of Peshawer are all set to celebrate Christmas, albeit with simplicity. Local Christians said that they will remember the people who lost their lives in the suicide attacks earlier this year, but will celebrate the religious festival nonetheless.
The historical All Saints Church situated in the Kohati Gate area, which will be commemorating its 130th year on December 27 this year, was targeted during the Sunday mass on September 22 by two suicide bombers, leaving at least 78 of the worshipers dead and scores others injured.
The Church now has extra security arrangements. For the first time Biometric security gates were installed at the Church on November 19.
Bishop of Peshawar, Humphey Sarfaraz Peter, told The Express Tribune that they are satisfied with the security provided by the law enforcement agencies as biometric system of security has also been installed. He said that they have asked the provincial government to deploy maximum number of security officials at the churches which will restore people’s confidence so that they come for religious service. Peter added that they have also hired their own private security with the permission of police officials for the Church inside the Kohati Gate.
All Saints Church is one of the nine big churches in Peshawer. The oldest is St John’s Church on Sir Syed Road, constructed in the 1850s, which houses the Diocese of Peshawar and works under the Diocese of Lahore.
A historical event related to Christmas which had been suspended for five years and was held only last year is the Christmas mela. In wake of the attacks, it will not be held this year.
This year, in addition to the customary prayers and celebration, the resounding sentiment remains to help those families who lost their loved ones in the atrocity. The pictures of those who lost their lives in the twin blasts are displayed on the walls of the Church.
“We have started collecting money through our door to door campaign. Besides providing financial assistance, we have also purchased Christmas gifts for the affected families,” said Waqar Masih, a worshipper at the All Saints Church. Talking to The Express Tribune, he added that this is the real spirit of Christmas.
This year, the Bishop has announced that he will give special gifts to all those present in the Church on Christmas day, as an incentive as many worshippers are still afraid after what happened, and confess discretely that they would rather pray at home. The Bishop has asked Christians to be present with their families at the Church to cut the Christmas cake. Like every year, the pastors will cut Christmas cakes at all the churches of the city. The first session of prayers are held in all the churches from 10 pm to 12 am on Christmas night while the second session is held in the morning from10 am to 12 pm. “There is fear among the people as there are rumours of threats from the militants, so most people have decided to stay at home,” said Arshad Masih, another local worshipper. “Though all Christians realize that these are mere rumours, they may not celebrate openly.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2013.
Small Christmas trees, decorated by children, have been set up in the homes of many of the 70,000 Christians that call Peshawer their home.
Christmas merchandise is available as usual in the city’s markets. While the memories of what happened some three months ago in Peshawer reverberate in the hearts and minds of the community, the Christians of Peshawer are all set to celebrate Christmas, albeit with simplicity. Local Christians said that they will remember the people who lost their lives in the suicide attacks earlier this year, but will celebrate the religious festival nonetheless.
The historical All Saints Church situated in the Kohati Gate area, which will be commemorating its 130th year on December 27 this year, was targeted during the Sunday mass on September 22 by two suicide bombers, leaving at least 78 of the worshipers dead and scores others injured.
The Church now has extra security arrangements. For the first time Biometric security gates were installed at the Church on November 19.
Bishop of Peshawar, Humphey Sarfaraz Peter, told The Express Tribune that they are satisfied with the security provided by the law enforcement agencies as biometric system of security has also been installed. He said that they have asked the provincial government to deploy maximum number of security officials at the churches which will restore people’s confidence so that they come for religious service. Peter added that they have also hired their own private security with the permission of police officials for the Church inside the Kohati Gate.
All Saints Church is one of the nine big churches in Peshawer. The oldest is St John’s Church on Sir Syed Road, constructed in the 1850s, which houses the Diocese of Peshawar and works under the Diocese of Lahore.
A historical event related to Christmas which had been suspended for five years and was held only last year is the Christmas mela. In wake of the attacks, it will not be held this year.
This year, in addition to the customary prayers and celebration, the resounding sentiment remains to help those families who lost their loved ones in the atrocity. The pictures of those who lost their lives in the twin blasts are displayed on the walls of the Church.
“We have started collecting money through our door to door campaign. Besides providing financial assistance, we have also purchased Christmas gifts for the affected families,” said Waqar Masih, a worshipper at the All Saints Church. Talking to The Express Tribune, he added that this is the real spirit of Christmas.
This year, the Bishop has announced that he will give special gifts to all those present in the Church on Christmas day, as an incentive as many worshippers are still afraid after what happened, and confess discretely that they would rather pray at home. The Bishop has asked Christians to be present with their families at the Church to cut the Christmas cake. Like every year, the pastors will cut Christmas cakes at all the churches of the city. The first session of prayers are held in all the churches from 10 pm to 12 am on Christmas night while the second session is held in the morning from10 am to 12 pm. “There is fear among the people as there are rumours of threats from the militants, so most people have decided to stay at home,” said Arshad Masih, another local worshipper. “Though all Christians realize that these are mere rumours, they may not celebrate openly.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 25th, 2013.